If Anyone Objects: Snapshots of Love with Henry and Jack
by mindluver
Summary: Jack Hotchner and Henry LaMontagne fell in love at an early age. We watch them struggle with it by way of snapshots of their lives. AU/Slash. Adult situations. Rated M. Language and sex. Don't like/don't read.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Some of you requested a look into the relationship between Jack and Henry from the Epi of the Spencer/Aaron story. I couldn't let it go, so here it is. It starts at the Epi. I hope you'll embrace it. I love these guys! I don't own Criminal Minds. I just borrow the characters. This is a work of fiction. The plot is my own, along with any original characters._

…

 **Chapter 1.**

"You two act like I'm dyin'," Jack complained as they loaded Aaron's old SUV for him to take to UVA. He was off to college, and neither of his dads was taking it well.

"Yes, well, you're leaving the nest, Jack, and it's going to be quiet around here without you," his Poppa Spencer said. It wasn't anything Jack didn't know, but he couldn't feel anything but excitement at the prospect.

"Aw…I'm sure you two can find something to do while I'm gone," Jack teased, remembering more than once during his formative years when he arrived home unannounced and found his fathers doing things he didn't want to think about at the time. They always apologized, but it did leave an impression on him when, at fifteen, he found his Pop blowing his Dad in the kitchen one day when he got home early from soccer practice. He still shuddered at the thought of it.

After his father made reference to 'Naked Saturdays', Jack was ready to get the hell outta dodge. His dad had become a lot less of a tight ass over the years, and Jack knew his poppa was the reason. If it wasn't for him, Jack feared how bitter his dad might have become over time. He was grateful for both of his parents, and even his birth mother, who he didn't remember.

Spencer had encouraged Aaron to share stories about Haley over the years, and those were the only memories Jack really had of her. His aunt, Jessica, was his mother's sister, but Jack always got the impression the sisters didn't get along based on comments he'd overheard between his dad and aunt. He was grateful, however, that Jessica pitched in to help his dad when Jack was young and Aaron worked long hours before he and Spencer became involved.

"God, you two are so gross. Anyway, I have to get on the road to pick up Anna. Aunt Jess is going to insist she repack the truck, and I wanna get to Charlottesville before five. Maybe do me a favor and call her? Ask her to not hold us up. I talked to a teammate at training camp, and he said parking sucks," Jack told his fathers. He had another stop to make, and he was eager to get on the road before he had to go to the District to pick up his cousin.

"I still don't know why you won't allow us to go down and help you set up your stuff," Aaron complained. It had been an argument Jack had with his dad, but his pop stepped in and sided with him, not for the first time in his life. The two of them won the argument, and finally, Aaron relented and agreed it was time to let Little Jack Hotchner grow up, as much as they might hate it.

After Uncle Dave and Elise stopped by to tell him good-bye, he finally hit the road with some of his favorite cookies from his Aunt Pen's recipe. Between her, Aunt Emily, and Aunt JJ, he'd had plenty of female influences in his life over the years. His senior prom was the one time it was actually welcomed.

" _What the hell am I gonna do about Prom? I sure don't want to go with any of the girls in my class," Jack complained to his best friend, Henry LaMontagne._

 _Henry's Cajun-fueled giggle always caught Jack off-guard since Henry grew up in Northern Virginia not too many miles from where Jack and his fathers lived. Jack knew Uncle Will made a point to take Henry back to Louisiana a few times a year so he could visit his extended family, all of who were nearly polar opposites from the Jareau family of Pennsylvania. Jack always wondered if Henry picked up the accent because he knew what it did to Jack._

" _Well, my friend, you could always take me," Henry teased._

 _Jack chuckled without humor. "Oh, you gonna dress up like a girl and put those pretty blonde curls up in a bun, Henry? Shake that cute ass around my teammates?" he snapped._

 _Henry LaMontagne was never one to be shaken. "Aw, you think I got a cute ass? That's special, Jackie. Anyway, if you don't wanna go with me, then you could ask your cousin, Anna. Unless there's a pretty lil gal in your life you ain't tellin' Ol' Henry 'bout."_

 _Jack laughed at him. "You're a great big ol' jackass. You got any friends I could ask? If I take you to Prom, the two of us are gonna get our asses kicked. Don't you have some friends who you trust? The stupid thing is at the Ritz in Tyson's, and I can duck out after two hours, I think," Jack offered._

 _The next Monday at school, Henry introduced Jack to a shy girl named Lilly Porter. She was new to the school, and Henry being Henry, he'd basically taken her under his wing. The little bastard was damn charismatic and had talked Jack into taking her to Prom because she didn't really know anyone._

 _With the help of Jack's aunts, they got the girl dressed to the nine's, and Jack showed her a good time because Henry told him it was a personal favor. It was only a month later that the girl passed away because she had leukemia. Henry hadn't told Jack because the girl didn't want anyone to know, but at the funeral, her foster parents told Jack she'd said it was the best night of her life._

Jack hugged all of them and finally got into the SUV, getting on the road an hour later than he wanted. On his way to pick up his cousin, Anna, he made one last stop to see his best friend. Jack knew the younger boy was upset, and he intended to make sure Henry knew Jack wasn't going to leave him behind.

He pulled into the driveway, seeing Henry kicking the soccer ball against the net Will and JJ had for him in the side yard. Jack hopped out and walked over, diving in front of the goal to deflect the ball before Henry knew he was there. He felt a scrape on his side and saw he'd ripped his shirt on a sprinkler. "Fuck," he moaned as Henry ran up.

"What the hell were ya doin'?" Henry asked. He was five-ten, white-blond haired and blue eyes. In Jack's mind, he'd never seen anyone more beautiful.

"I stopped by to say good-bye. I wanted to see you before I picked up Anna. Nothing changes between us, H. You're still my best friend," Jack told him as Henry helped him up from the grass.

"Let's go inside and bandage it. Momma and Daddy are shoppin'," Henry explained.

The two went into the house where Henry directed Jack to sit at the island counter in the kitchen. "Where's Claire?" Jack asked as Henry went to the hall closet to retrieve the first-aid kit.

"Down the street with Maddy Vance. Shirt off, Hotchner," the younger ordered.

Jack did as he was told. When he felt a cold sting at his side, he hissed. "You're fine. You've had worse, Hotch. So, are you gonna e-mail me, or do you just put me away like all of your other childhood toys?" Henry asked.

"Fuck, that hurts," Jack snapped.

"Not as much as my heart hurts," Henry snapped back.

"Jesus! I told you, this doesn't change anything. We're waiting. You're fifteen, and I'm not ready for jail, Henry. You know how I feel about you, and I know how you feel about me. Why the hell do you think I'm gonna get a place with my cousin? I don't want to live in the dorms, and thankfully, my dad was able to make it happen for me. When you start down there, I'll make Anna move out, and we'll live together. Keep your damn grades up," Jack told him as he touched the boy's face before their lips brushed. Jack didn't deepen it because they didn't want to get carried away, what with not knowing when JJ and Will or even Claire, Henry's little sister, might return. Besides, they'd have plenty of time for all of it in the future.

They'd both excelled in school, thanks to Spencer Reid. Jack was entering college at seventeen. Henry was a junior at fifteen. They had feelings for each other, but they'd never fully acted on them aside from a hug, hand holding, or soft kiss. They were waiting for the rest of it.

Henry looked at Jack with worry on his face. "What are we gonna do if my momma and daddy get pissed 'bout this, _chére?_ You're dads will be cool about it, but Will LaMontagne? I ain't sure he's gonna be fine with havin' a son who's a fag," Henry explained.

Jacked touched his face and brushed his lips over Henry's again, hoping to comfort him. "Let's worry about one thing at a time. We're not ready to come out yet, so chill. When the time comes, we'll go to my dads first. They'll help us explain it to Aunt Jayje and Uncle Will. At the end of the day, Henry, we belong together. If anyone objects…too bad," Jack said as the two embraced.

Jack gave Henry his senior ring on a chain and he accepted a money clip that had been Henry's grandfather's, Will LaMontagne, Sr. It was so they could have a piece of each other to get them through the lonely times.

After another kiss good-bye, which involved tongue for the first time, the two pulled apart and Henry walked Jack out to the old Tahoe. " _WAIT!"_ they both heard from down the block. It was Claire, Henry's little sister, who was the spitting image of Jack's aunt JJ.

"Now, you can't leave without tellin' me good-bye, Jackie," she demanded. Jack picked up the ten-year old and hugged her.

"You keep an eye on Ol' Henry, here, will ya? Without me to keep him outta trouble, I gotta count on you, _chére_ ," he teased, mocking Henry's accent.

"Aw, you're teasin'. Be careful. Momma said we'll come down for a game one weekend with Uncle Spence and Uncle Aaron. I guess Henry will come if he's not busy with Wesley Brewster," she taunted.

Jack kissed her cheek and released her. "Git!" he ordered. She giggled and ran into the house, leaving Henry and him staring at each other.

"I'm not even gonna ask who Wesley Brewster is. I'm not gonna make some stupid demand that you don't see anyone else beside me because you've got a lot of life to live before you finish school," he began.

Jack reached down and took Henry's hand, moving in front of him so no one could see them. "I just want you to know, I love you, Henry. You do what you gotta do, and when you're done, I'll be waitin' for ya. Take care, ya heah?" Jack teased with the accent as he drew the younger man's hand to his lips and kissed it. He then got into the Tahoe and drove away without looking back.

He didn't look back to see the tears rolling down Henry's face or to hear the whispered, "Wesley Brewster is the name I use when I'm talkin' 'bout you, _chére."_ There would be time for truths in the future. One just had to wait out the clock.

…

 _E/N: So, here we go... It won't run a timeline because it's going to jump ahead into the future, but I'll give you ideas about where they are in their relationship. I hope there's interest. If you're reading, thank you! ML_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thank you for reading and leaving your thoughts. I'm just going to remind you lovelies this story is snapshots – which means it's going to give some details but not everyday life stuff, and it will move through time. I hope that doesn't disappoint! Anyway, let's get on with it. I don't own Criminal Minds. I just borrow the characters._

…

 **Chapter 2**.

The first year of college wasn't easy to settle into for Jack Hotchner. He was making friends and doing his fair-share of partying, but he had grades to maintain to keep his scholarship, so he made sure to find balance…school, sports, friends/parties.

He'd been invited to pledge a fraternity which a lot of his teammates were in, but he'd declined with the explanation of not having enough time to commit to extracurriculars. Somehow, he was able to convince them to let him off the hook without pissing them off, and he could only credit his Uncle Derek for the gift of gab to pull it off.

When his first soccer game came up on the schedule, it was at home. He wasn't surprised when his fathers, Henry's whole family, and his Uncle Dave and Aunt Emily showed up. Elise was staying with the Morgans because Derek was coaching Nicky's soccer team, and Frannie was a junior cheerleader. Elise helped Penelope with it, so they vowed they'd come to games later in the season.

The knock on the door wasn't a surprise…when Jack opened it and saw only Henry, it was. "Where's everybody else?" he asked.

Henry laughed. "They're checkin' into the motel. I asked Daddy to drop me off here 'cause I ain't sharin' a room with Claire. You got a couch?"

Jack grabbed Henry and pulled him into the apartment, kissing him soundly. "I've fuckin' missed you, baby. You don't text me back. What's goin' on? I thought you were done with me," Jack whispered frantically as he kissed up Henry's neck to his ear where he sucked on the younger boy's earlobe.

"I'm pissed at ya, Jackie," Henry told him as he pulled away to walk into the living room, looking around.

Jack grabbed Henry's bag and carried it inside, locking the door. "You wanna tell me why?"

"What was last Wednesday?" Henry asked, not turning around. Jack knew it wasn't Henry's birthday because that was at the end of October.

"August 26. My freshman orientation day, why?" Jack asked.

"Ah, so it's gonna be like that? Okay, then. One year ago last Wednesday, you picked me up at home and took me to the movies. You held my hand while we watched that shitty remake of some stupid science fiction thing your pop liked when he was younger, and when you took me home, you kissed me for the first time, Jack. I thought it was our one-year anniversary, but when I called you, some bitch answered your phone. Where were you?" Henry asked.

Jack thought about it, and he remembered he was in the library with a girl, Bernadette Brill, who was his partner in Chem Lab. He'd gone in search of a resource manual, and when he came back, she had a nasty look on her face.

"That was my lab partner, Bernadette. I e-mailed you about her. She's smart like us, but she's a bitch. What did she say?" Jack asked.

"She asked me why you had me in your phone as ' _Mon amour_ '. I told her I didn't know and asked her to tell you I called. I never heard back from you."

Jack whipped out his phone and looked through his call history, not seeing anything from Henry. Henry pulled out his phone and handed it to Jack who scrolled through the call history and found a call on Wednesday to Wesley Brewster. "That's not me, H. That's your other boy," Jack snapped.

Henry chuckled. "You are one dumb som'bitch when you wanna be, Jackie. My momma made a comment about me talkin' 'bout you all the time. She said with you goin' off to college, I should make other friends because you wouldn't have time for me. So, I made up a new friend, Wes Brewster. We were both on the swim team last summer, but you came to every swim meet I had. You know damn well I didn't hang with my teammates. That's the call I made to you, Jackie. Now, you wanna tell me about Bernadette?"

All Jack could do was laugh and pull Henry closer, kissing his forehead. He ran his fingers through those long blonde locks and took the feeling of Henry deep into his soul. "When you gonna cut this hair, baby boy?"

Henry wrapped his arms around Jack's body and leaned in closer, speaking into his chest. "I thought you liked my long hair, _chére._ I hear-tell blondes have more fun."

Both boys laughed into the soft kiss when there was a loud, seven-beat knock on the front door. "That's my pops. Go get yourself together. They see that wood you're sportin', it's gonna be hard to lie that nothin's goin' on," Jack ordered.

The weekend was fantastic, and Jack ended up hunting down Bernadette Brill in the cafeteria. When Henry saw the bespectacled redhead with the orange braces, he had to go outside because he couldn't contain the laughter. She was bigger than Henry, for certain, and the younger blonde had a good idea of the kind of girl Jack would go for…if he went for girls. She wasn't anywhere near the girl Henry'd profiled for his best friend. It was truly a relief.

The Cavaliers beat the Forty-Niners, 1-0. Jack had an assist, and the whole crew had gone out to celebrate that night. Henry stayed at the apartment Jack shared with Anna, though she didn't sleep there. Henry also didn't sleep on the couch that night, but nothing happened that wouldn't have received a PG rating. The greatest thing about it was that Henry got to sleep in Jack's arms as he'd always wanted to do. It was better than he ever imagined.

##

"Dude, seriously? I wanna get home to see my moms alive. Slow the fuck down," Anna complained to Jack. It was Henry's sixteenth birthday and practice had gone long. The last soccer game of the season was on the thirtieth, and he had to be back for it, but there was no way he was missing Henry's birthday, especially not after the debacle where he'd failed to remember the anniversary of their first date and kiss. He didn't need Henry mad at him again.

Anna was going home to spend the long weekend with her mothers, and he was eager to drop her off. He hadn't told Henry he was coming home for the family party they were having at Uncle Dave and Aunt Emily's mansion. His fathers didn't even know he was coming home, but he'd be there come hell or high water.

"I'm gonna drop you at the Franconia Station so I can hit 495 and get out to McLean. I can't be late for this party, Anns. I already let him down by forgetting our first anniversary of our first date. If I miss his birthday? I'm in deep shit," Jack explained.

His cousin, Anna, laughed heartily. "God, you haven't even got laid yet and you're already dick whipped. I hope you find your balls over the weekend. I won't make your game. I'll have to get a bus back to school. It's costly to be your cover, Jacks," Anna taunted as she held out her hand. He knew she was teasing about taking the bus, but he was indebted to her for staying at a little motel the night Henry had stayed with him so the two boys could have privacy. Jack had offered to pay her back, but she'd refused.

Jack knew taking the bus back to school wasn't going to be the case. Her mothers had bought her a car, and they were going to give it to her that weekend. He'd secured a parking pass for her at their apartment building, so he knew Anna was taken care of. When she called to tell him about the car, he'd tell her about the pass on their kitchen table.

After a hug with his cousin at the metro station, he hopped back into the Tahoe and motored up 95 to 495. He kept it right on the speed limit, and he took the exit for 123 to McLean. When he pulled up to the Rossi-Prentiss home, he could see many of the _family_ members were present, but he didn't see Will and JJ's Denali anywhere. He saw his fathers' new Escalade, and he smiled. He was happy to see that all the family was there to wish Henry a happy sixteenth.

He parked down the block so his presence would be a surprise when the LaMontagne family arrived, and after he took a deep breath, he grabbed the gift bag for Henry. It was a hooded sweatshirt with the Cavs logo on it. Tucked into the pocket was a gift certificate for a special date over the Christmas break. Jack planned to come out to his parents over the break and he was hoping to enlist his pop to help him make plans for New Year's Eve.

If Spencer took Aaron out for a special night, Jack would have the house to himself. That was all he could think about.

…

 _E/N: We'll finish up this snapshot next chapter. Hope you're enjoying it. Thanks for reading. ML_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Thank you for reading this little story. I'm happy you're enjoying it. Let's see what's going on with Henry (I love him so much!). I don't own Criminal Minds. I also don't infringe. There's reference to underage drinking in this chapter. It happens in real-life, too._

…

 **Chapter 3**.

Henry William LaMontagne was a very laid-back kind of guy, as all his friends would attest. He played soccer for his high school, and he was a senior turning sixteen, which had made him some sort of a Phenom, nearly overnight. He knew his Uncle Spencer was the reason he had skipped grades over the years because he had taken delight in teaching Jack and Henry everything he seemed to know. That was why Jack was in his freshman year, having just turned eighteen.

Henry knew Jack could have advanced much faster in school, but he wanted to stay back to be with Henry, or so Jack used to tell him. Henry had no reason not to believe the older boy, especially since Henry was head-over-heels in love with him.

He'd sent Jack a long e-mail for his birthday early in October, telling him he'd give him his gift when he was home the next time. Unfortunately, Henry didn't know when that would be because the Cavs were ranked number two, and it was time for the ACC tourney. Henry hoped he could talk either his dad or maybe Uncle Aaron into taking him down to Charlottesville for the last game on Saturday before the tournament, but he wasn't holding his breath.

Henry had invited Lena Owens, a very good friend from school, to go with him to the birthday party Uncle Dave and Aunt Emily were hosting for him. He _might_ have led his parents to believe she was sort of his girlfriend, just to save himself a lot of headaches at home. At the end of the day, she knew he was in love with Jack Hotchner and she was the person he trusted with the information.

When they pulled up in front of the mansion the Rossi/Prentiss family owned, he saw the look on Lena's face. "Damn, kid! This is the shit," the older girl told him. She was eighteen and her mom was a lawyer. Her dad, who had moved to New York when Lena started high school, was some high-finance kinda prick who showed his love with things, not time. The girl was driving a brand new BMW coupe, which Henry knew would impress his parents enough to cause them not to ask too many questions.

"Yeah, yeah. Anywho, darl, my momma's gonna wanna grill ya a little bit, so just be honest and let her know you haven't led her baby boy down the path of free love. We're savin' ourselves for marriage," he teased the girl.

She laughed. "Henry, you're full of shit. You're savin' yourself for Jack Hotchner, and we both know it, but I'll play along as long as you help me pass biology. Does your boy know about our little ruse?" she asked.

"He's got his own shit to worry 'bout. You just worry 'bout foolin' my momma. She's a profiler, Lena. She picks up on shit nobody else would give no nevah mind," Henry drawled.

The young woman laughed. "You're full of Louisiana swamp sludge, Henry La-Mon-tagne. Let's go fool your momma."

Henry hopped out and ran around to open the driver's side door, pulling the girl out and kissing the corner of her mouth in case anyone was watching. He wasn't ready to tell his parents he was in love with his childhood best friend. It was best for them to think him still the little blonde boy they'd brought up who had no real sexual desires. Keeping them in the dark was for their own good, after all.

He rang the door of the mansion and when Elise opened it, he didn't miss the double-take she gave him as she looked at the tall brunette with her arm around his neck. "Lise, how are ya, darl?" Henry asked as he stepped forward and hugged the girl.

"I'm fine. Who's the whore?"

"Whoa, whoa, Lise. Lena is my girl. She's not a…you're too damn young to use that word, pretty girl," Henry told her, trying to smooth things over. He didn't bring Lena with him for her to be insulted. She was there to provide him cover.

"Now, aren't you cute? Where'd you learn such big words?" Lena taunted. It was the one thing Jack didn't like about her. She had a vicious tongue, but she was doing him a huge favor so he put up with it.

"From her mother. You are?" Emily Prentiss asked as Henry saw her enter the foyer. The look on her face was one Henry knew wasn't good at all, and he had to diffuse the situation.

"Auntie Em," he greeted as he walked over and hugged her tightly. "Please don't embarrass me. Lena's just a good friend, okay?"

When Emily hugged back, she whispered, "Okay, but you have a surprise in the backyard that might cause problems with that whore on your arm."

When he pulled back, he looked at her, and she only smiled. "Bring your friend. David has everything set up outside. Your parents and sister are out there. Pretend to be surprised, Henry," Emily instructed.

He took Lena's hand and led her through the kitchen to the back veranda where his parents had married years before. He knew because he was present. Yes, his family was progressive, but he wasn't sure how damn progressive they were. Were they progressive to someday see him marry his sweetheart on that back patio?

When he walked out, he stopped dead in his tracks. Jack Hotchner stood between his fathers with a glass in his hand, and when he saw Henry holding the hand of a girl, the glass hit the ceramic tile. Henry saw the anger in his eyes before Jack stormed off, and he held his breath, trying to figure out what the fuck to do.

Henry chased Jack down the street to explain, but when the taller, faster young man got to the Tahoe, Henry couldn't stop him. His heart was breaking as he slowly ambled back to the party. His mother wrapped an arm around him. "Honey, he wanted to surprise you, but I think you surprised him with your girlfriend. I'm sure it'll be fine in a few days. You didn't tell him about Lena, did you?"

Henry swallowed down the lump in his throat. "No, Momma, I didn't. Lena's sweet, but she ain't long-term. I'm sure Jack's sowin' his wild oats at school as well. I'll text him about it, and things will be fine," he offered as an excuse.

The party continued, but Henry's heart wasn't in it. When he was opening his gifts, he tried to show the excitement everyone expected. He finally excused himself after he blew out the candles on the birthday cake.

Instead of going to the bathroom, he went to sit at the piano Uncle Dave had in the study. He knew Elise took lessons, and he remembered when his mother tried to push him to take them as well, but he had a tin ear. He remembered Jack sitting on the bench next to him trying to help him with the fingering, but he couldn't get it. Jack was just there because Henry was there. It was always how they were.

He hit the middle 'C' and played a scale, which was the only thing he'd ever learned, if truth be told. He felt a hand on his shoulder and then long fingers over his, guiding him in a sweet lullaby he remembered from back in the day. He turned to see Spencer sitting next to him.

"Remember when we used to try?" Spencer asked.

Henry laughed. "I tried. You, Jackie, and Lise got it," he reminded.

Spencer hugged the boy around the shoulders. "I got it because I could put it into a mathematical equation. Jack got it because he wanted to be sure _you_ got it. It was important to Jayje back then, but Elise is the only true artist amongst us.

"What's that girl doing here, Henry?" Spencer asked.

Henry turned to look at him and saw the time for lying was over. "Uncle Spence, I'm just sixteen. Jackie just turned eighteen. My parents aren't going to want to hear anything other than I'm dating a nice young girl with who I might decide to settle down and have kids after I finish college and have some high power job someday. They love you and Hotch, but I have no idea how my daddy would accept havin' a son…a gay son."

When Spencer giggled and hugged Henry again, the boy was confused. "You have time to decide your sexuality, Henry. You might only have a crush on Jack because you two have been inseparable most of your life and you miss him because he's away at school. There's time to figure it out. One thing I can tell you is that girl isn't your type. She's nothing like your mother."

Henry looked at him with a horrified expression. "Oh, God! I ain't lookin' for a girl like my momma, Uncle Spence. Hell, I ain't lookin' for a girl at all. Maybe Jackie isn't my future, but I can guarantee ya, the person I spend the rest of my life with won't have tits. Got no interest, trust me."

…

JJ and Will gave Henry their old Ford Escape for his birthday. Uncle Dave and Aunt Em gave him a gas card. The rest of the family gave him gift cards for various other things he might want. He was appreciative. Just before he left the party, Spencer handed him a gift bag. As Henry was about to open it, the older man stopped him. "Wait till you get home. He…you need to call him, Henry. He's gotta be very upset."

When Henry got home that night, he carried the bag from Jack up to his room and locked the door. He pulled out the hooded sweatshirt with the bright 'V' and crossed swords insignia. He immediately pulled it on and when he stood in front of the mirror on the back of his bedroom door, he smiled. He put his hands in the pockets, and felt paper in the left pocket. He pulled it out and had to sit down on the floor.

It was a rectangular piece of paper with drawings of hearts around the edge. In Jack's handwriting there were words that nearly made Henry's young heart stop.

 _The bearer of this coupon is entitled to a magical New Year's Eve, including a home-cooked meal, dancing, wine, and champagne at midnight, if so desired, a mind-blowing, blow…you know, baby. I'm ready to move up the ladder. I'm not pushing. There's no expiration. You set the pace. I love you, Your Jackie_

Henry sat in his floor, clutching the paper and crying like he'd never cried before. Well, maybe since he was a baby. He couldn't lose Jack. He loved him too much.

…

At two in the morning, Henry was finally ready to call Jack Hotchner. It rang twice before there was a sleepy. "Yeah?"

" _Chére,_ it's me. I'm…I need to explain that shit to you. It's not what you thought, Jackie. She's just a friend, I swear. You're my man," Henry explained quietly, having heard his parents come home about midnight.

He heard a heavy sigh. "Are you sure? Aunt Jayje told me you had a nice, older girlfriend. I laughed at her, but when you showed up with that girl…"

"Jackie, I should have told you about her, but you've been busy with soccer and school, and I didn't want you to worry. I had no idea you were going to come home for my birthday. Thank you for that," Henry whispered.

"Can you sneak out? I know Aunt Jayje gave you her car. My dads are staying at Uncle Dave's tonight. Can you come over?" Jack asked.

Henry took a deep breath. He wasn't really one to sneak out, but for Jack? He'd do anything. "I'll be there in fifteen, Jackie."

He hung up and dressed in sweats. He had sneakers in hand as he tried to slip down the stairs. When he walked to front foyer, the living room light flicked on. His father was sitting in his big, leather chair with a blank face.

"Daddy? Why you up?" Henry asked quietly.

"Can I talk to ya? Or is this too premature?" his father asked.

"I'm not sure what you mean?"

"Where you goin'?" Will asked.

Henry sighed. "Does it matter?"

When his father chuckled and walked over to him, he was surprised when the man led him into the kitchen. He turned on the light and pulled out a bottle of bourbon, pouring one for himself. After he shot it down, he looked at Henry. "If you weren't about to drive, I'd give ya a drink to celebrate your birthday, but I don't want my son drinkin' and drivin'. Where you headed, boy?"

Henry sighed. There were many ways he pictured his father finding out he was gay, but on his sixteenth birthday wasn't one of them. Based on the look on Will LaMontagne's face, Henry wasn't going to be able to bullshit his way out of it.

"I'm headed to Jack's. His dads stayed at Uncle Dave's place, and Jack and I need to have a discussion. You wanna know what it's about?" he challenged.

When Will pulled his son into his arms and kissed his forehead, the boy was surprised. "No, my sweet boy, I don't need to know what it's about. I'm pretty sure I know what it's about, and I'll just remind you that you just turned sixteen and you have a lot of life ahead of you. I just want you to be happy. That's all your momma and I ever wanted for you and your sister. We just want you happy."

Henry held his father and cried for the loss of the boy his father wanted because Henry was never going to be that boy. He hated it, but it just wasn't him. He climbed into his birthday gift and drove to the white-brick home where the Reid-Hotchner family lived.

Henry went around to the back yard, seeing Jack sitting in a lounge chair next to the pool the family had installed several years prior. There were large heaters surrounding the pool, and Henry could see the hot tub was turned on. "Hey. Thanks for the gift," Henry stated as he held up his arms to show Jack he was wearing the hoodie.

He saw Jack take a sip of the beer in his hand and nod. "Fits. Did you find the…" he trailed off.

"Oh, the coupon for an exciting New Year's Eve? You bet your ass, Hotchner. I'm framin' that one, sugar. You definitely owe me," Henry teased as he walked over and took a seat next to Jack. He grabbed the beer and took a sip, smiling because the taste wasn't awful. It was his first beer ever. It was perfect that it was with Jack.

Jack sat up and turned to face Henry where he sat with Jack's beer. "Who was the girl, Henry?"

The younger blonde was so surprised by the question, he only gulped. "I didn't know it mattered, Jackie. She's just a classmate. Remember, I'm the youngest in my class. She gives me cover, and she only wants me to get her through Biology. You should meet her sometime. She knows a little about us. She knows the most we've done is kiss, okay? She and I haven't even done anything of the sort, Jack.

"I love you, okay? I'm not lookin' to hook up with anyone. When we decide we wanna move up to more? I want you to be my more, okay?" Henry asked…pleaded. He couldn't help himself.

Jack pulled him from the lounger where he was sitting, situating Henry between his legs. He reclined the lounger as he wrapped his arms around Henry and handed him another beer. "Look up at those stars, Henry. Can you count them?"

Henry giggled. "I seriously doubt it, but we can call your pops and have him give us the guesstimate."

When Jack leaned forward to whisper in his ear, Henry shivered. "I love you more than there are stars in the sky which I'm sure my pop could count. I know we're young, baby, but you… _you_ are the only person I've ever loved. I believe you're the only person I'll ever love, Henry. Please don't doubt me, and if you ever change your mind about us, please be man enough to tell me," Jack whispered.

The two young men snuggled up together with a blanket Jack had brought outside, and they fell asleep looking at the endless stars. If the number of stars was any type of indicator as to how much Jack loved Henry, the blond man would take it.

…

 _E/N: Don't beat up on poor Will for offering to share a drink in celebration of his son's birthday. I'm sure he'd have only given him half a shot ;-/ Thank you for reading. I appreciate your thoughts. ML_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Sorry I'm late, but family called. Thank you for reading. I know it's an odd story in the CM 'verse, but I thought it was a challenge. I don't own CM, and I don't infringe._

…

 **Chapter 4.**

" _HEY Y'ALL! THE DAMN TRUCK IS PACKED! YOU'RE GONNA HIT TRAFFIC!_ " Jack heard Henry's father, Will, yelling up the stairs. They were in Henry's bedroom packing up last-minute things when they were both overcome by passion. Jack was on his knees sucking Henry's ample cock after they'd finished.

" _WE'RE COMIN!_ " Henry yelled as he released down Jack's throat. Jack swallowed and laughed uncontrollably, forgetting about his own hard on. Henry LaMontagne was one in a million.

"Technically, baby, only _you_ came. You owe me," Jack whispered as he rose from his knees, zipping up Henry's cargo shorts after tucking him back inside his little bikini briefs Jack had given him for Christmas. They were sexy as hell and when Henry reached under the bed to pull out a black box, Jack saw the hint of red peek out of the boy's waistband, and he couldn't help himself. When he opened Henry's shorts and got a glimpse up close, he couldn't help himself. He hadn't intended to tempt fate, but it was exciting doing something in Henry's room when there was a chance of getting caught.

They both grabbed boxes after Henry handed Jack a mint, bringing both of them to giggle. They carried the boxes downstairs and stopped to see Jennifer Jareau-LaMontagne standing in the hallway with tears falling, holding a bag of groceries.

Jack felt guilty, but not enough to regret what he'd done. He turned to Henry. "I'll finish packing up your stuff. Talk to your momma, baby," he whispered before he walked by Henry's mother and kissed her on the cheek.

Jack was surprised to see Spencer standing at the back of the rental with a box in his hands. After he shoved it inside, he leaned back against the back of the truck while watching Jack. Once Jack pushed the last box into the truck he looked at his pop.

"So, does Dad know?" he asked, knowing his poppa was there in support because he knew about Jack and Henry.

"No, son, he doesn't, but I hope you'll figure it out and tell him something. Henry's going to be seventeen, and you'll be nineteen. Maybe it's not true love, but your dad and your Aunt JJ deserve to know if _you two_ think it is," Spencer offered.

"Pop, Henry's too young to decide if this is permanent. I'm not forcing him into anything, okay? Yep, I love him, but if he meets some hot girl and falls head over heels with her? I'll back away and keep my mouth shut. We're both still virgins, okay? We haven't done that much to cause him a lot of shame or regret. It can be explained as experimenting if he decides he's not into it, okay?"

When Spencer laughed, Jack was surprised. "Okay, what's so funny?"

His poppa pulled him closer and hugged him tightly. "I love you so much, Jack. I _worship_ the ground your father walks upon, and I have for years, but you know that. How long have you had feelings for my godson?"

Jack knew there was no need to lie. Both of his fathers were FBI profilers, and while they might not like the outcome of the profile, he knew they'd accept it. "I remember when I turned fourteen. Henry's birthday was at the end of the month, and I asked you and dad if I could wait for my party and have it with Henry at Halloween. You told me I should have my own day, but I said…"

He saw Spencer perk up. "' _Can't I wait to celebrate my birthday with Henry? I don't have that many friends at school and I'd rather have a party with Henry, Poppa. He'll be twelve.'_ Yeah, I remember it. That long?"

Jack nodded that yes, he'd felt stirrings of feelings for Henry LaMontagne since they were twelve and fourteen. "That's what the hell I get for having a father with an eidetic memory. You gonna follow us down to Charlottesville and help me unload his shit?"

When Spencer captured Jack around the shoulders and held him close, Jack remembered all the hugs his pop had given him growing up. They had a special bond, and Jack would never forget it.

"No, son, I'm not, and I don't think Will or JJ will either. I'm not going to say anything to your father about this…whatever _this_ is. I want you and Henry to figure it out on your own without any pressure. If it's permanent? Your dad will be happy for you, I promise. Just don't hurt him, Jack. Henry means a lot to all of us." Spencer released him just as Henry hurried out of the house.

JJ followed him out, still carrying a bag of groceries in her arms, followed by Will with a cooler. "That everything?" Jack asked as JJ opened the cab of Henry's SUV and placed the groceries in the vehicle. He watched as Will placed the cooler in the back seat before he winked at Jack.

When he felt his face shoved into the side of the SUV with his right arm wrenched up behind his back, he was caught by surprise. "Jackson Roy Hotchner, if you let anything happen to my little boy, I will come to Charlottesville, hunt you down, and hold you personally responsible. You don't want to know what I'll do to you if you don't keep my son safe. That's why I've consented to allow Henry to live with you and Anna," JJ warned.

Will walked up and pulled her off. "My beautiful girl, don't threaten the boy. He loves Henry as much as you and me, and he'd give his life for our son, right Jack?" Will asked.

For once in his life, Jack Hotchner was going to be honest about his feelings for Henry LaMontagne.

"Aunt JJ, I can promise you, I'd take a bullet before I'll let anything happen to Henry. You have my word, okay?" he assured.

The blond woman stood back and smiled. "Thank you, sweetie. Pressure him to call me at least once a week, okay? I know you talk to Spence and Aaron weekly. Make him call me," she requested.

Jack leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Aunt Jayje, I love him. I'll keep him safe, and I'll make damn sure he checks in with his momma."

As they drove away from the LaMontagne home, Jack couldn't help but laugh. He'd been totally honest with JJ and Will, and he was sure they didn't get it. How they'd take the eventual news, he wasn't sure, but the day would come when it would be necessary. They just had to get ready for that day.

…

Jack stood in the bedroom and looked around at the boxes. "Baby, we gotta do something about all this shit. Is this everything you've ever had in your life?" he asked as he pulled Henry into his arms and flopped the two of them down on the bed, which was surprisingly box free.

"Most of it is probably books your pop gave me. I'm sure they're dupes of ones you have, so we can donate them to a library or something. I'm so fuckin' happy to be here with you, Jackie. We belong together, you know," Henry teased as he nipped at Jack's jaw.

Jack rolled Henry onto his back and hovered over him. "Henry LaMontagne, I will love you for the rest of my life. You left a very distinct impression on my heart, my sweet boy, and there's no way I can walk away from you," Jack whispered as he kissed his new roommate.

When the two young men pulled away from each other, Jack looked into the bluest eyes he'd ever seen in his life. They were mesmerizing.

He decided to top the New Year's Eve night they'd had when he'd given Henry his first blow job. It was time for more, and with the two of them living together at school? It was perfect.

"Who's goin' first, darl?" Henry asked.

Jack laughed. He could see the nerves on his boyfriend's face, so he made the decision for both of them. "You're my little stud. You show me how it's done, _chére,_ " Jack teased.

He saw Henry blink twice before the backpedaling began. "Now, come on Jackie. I ain't so sure I'm up to the…" Jack rolled them so Henry was on top of him. He'd done enough research, or what he'd call research, over the year so he was confident he could talk Henry through it.

"Well, baby boy, the first thing we gotta do is get naked. Let's take a shower. We can relax and I'll explain things to ya. It's really not that hard," Jack explained.

##

Henry was sitting against the headboard of the queen-sized bed he was going to share with Jack trying to catch his breath. His lap was full of Jack and his chest was sticky, but the smile on his face was undeniable. He had definitely enjoyed what he and Jack had just done.

At first, he was unsure. " _Henry, you gotta take off those little red briefs I gave ya and get your cute ass in the shower. With the hot water, you can start getting me ready and lose some of your nerves, okay? If you're not relaxed, you won't be able to get lay the pipe, and I want you to lay it," Jack told him as he unbuttoned Henry's shorts._

 _After they were naked, Jack handed him a small tube of what appeared to be hair gel. Henry read the label and looked at his boyfriend with confusion. "What's this for?"_

 _Jack laughed. "Baby, you gotta put your fingers, one at a time, up my ass. The lube smooths the way, so to speak. It'll feel good for me, I promise. I've been practicing over the last year and summer. I had one finger up your ass one time when I was blowin' you, but I only used spit. You remember? This stuff works a lot better," Jack asked. Henry did, so he took a deep breath and mimicked what Jack had done to him, while giving Jack's cock the attention it deserved with Henry's mouth. He knew Jack loved his blow jobs._

 _After that, the events took on a life of their own._ _Jack led Henry out of the shower and wrapped him in a towel. "I really can't wait to have you inside me, baby," he whispered. The two quickly dried and hurried to the bed. Jack placed Henry leaning against the pillows which he stacked against the headboard. "This way will be easier for both of us. I can control how fast you sink into me, and I can look into those beautiful blue eyes and talk ya down if you're gonna come to fast. I want both of us to have fun, baby."_

The two of them had moved together slowly as Jack worked his way down Henry's erection. They'd kissed slowly as they both adjusted to the new sensations. Once Henry was fully seated, Jack teased him. _"If I recall the reading correctly, we're committing about three felonies, and a handful of misdemeanors by doing this lewd act in the great Commonwealth of Virginia," Jack teased._

 _Henry laughed. "Who knew a life of crime could start out so damn good, chére. Let's see where it takes us."_

Henry wrapped his arms around Jack's slender waist and pulled him forward. "You gotta love the legs of a soccer player. All that power… You worked me out, baby," he whispered as he continued to kiss Jack as he gently removed himself from inside his lover. After he was clear, he carefully removed the condom and dropped it into the trash can by the bed. He loved the feel of Jack's weight against him. It was better than he ever dreamed.

"Come on, baby. Let's rinse off and get you an aspirin. I did a little readin' of my own. You're gonna be a little soar in the mornin'. When it's my turn, I want liquor, darl," Henry teased. They laughed as they went to the bathroom to take another quick shower. After they pulled on sleep pants, they fell into bed, Henry holding Jack in his arms. He kissed his lover on the neck before the two of them fell asleep after the first time they made love.

…

Henry heard the jingling of Jack's keys from the hallway, but he didn't budge from the chair in which he was sitting in the dark sipping a scotch on the rocks. Jack hadn't called to say he'd be late, and he'd refused to answer the phone when Henry called him. He hadn't even responded to texts, and to say Henry LaMontagne was pissed was an understatement.

It was near the end of his freshman year at UVA. He'd sat the bench with the Cavs that fall, but he was playing a county soccer league that spring. He had an academic scholarship where Jack's was for soccer. Jack didn't want to play the county league, but he'd come to the games…except for the last one that night. Henry scored a hat trick, but his boyfriend wasn't there to see it.

They had taken steps to be more 'out' at school, or so Henry thought until Jack started hanging out with a girl from his literature class. The girl, Cassandra Wells, was the kind of girl Henry always thought Jack could fall in love with, and he was sure he had a front-row seat to Jack's future. Nowhere in it was there a place for Henry LaMontagne.

When Jack finally got the door open, Henry could tell he was drunk. He was stumbling and fumbling, and if he wasn't so pissed off, he'd have laughed out loud. "SHHH!" Jack whisper-shouted to himself.

Henry slammed the glass on the end table, watching Jack jump. He turned on the lamp and glared at his lover. "Where you been, _chére?_ Anna made supper before she went to spend the night with Dan. I thought you were gonna come to my game."

He watched Jack drop his back pack on the couch while trying to maintain his balance. He saw him glance at the end of the couch where a pillow and blanket were folded and waiting. "Whassatfor?" Jack slurred.

"You're in no shape to shower, and I ain't about to share a bed with you smellin' like pussy. Night, Jackie," Henry snapped before he got up and went to bed. The couch was too fucking good for Jack, but it was uncomfortable enough the taller man would wake with a neck problem. Henry didn't even consider telling him Anna was at her boyfriend's for the night. "Let him fuckin' suffer," Henry told himself as he went to bed.

For the next two weeks, things were very quiet around the Brooks/Hotchner/LaMontagne apartment. Everyone was studying for finals, and Henry spent most of his time in the library because he wanted to ace his finals. His academic scholarship required it.

He'd run into Anna a few times as they were coming and going, and she told him he needed to talk to 'Jacks'. He hugged her, told her he loved her, and then told her to mind her own goddamn business. She kissed his forehead and left him alone.

The Friday afternoon of his last final, he arrived at the apartment to find Jack packing some clothes into a box. When Henry cleared his throat, he saw Jack's eyes were red and swollen. "What's wrong?" Henry asked.

"I'm just wonderin' if I should move my shit out now or wait till the fall. I can get a storage unit if you and Anns want me out," Jack whispered.

"What the fuck you talkin' 'bout?" Henry asked as he dropped his book bag on the floor. He'd stopped at the bookstore to sell his books back, and all he had to do was pack up some clothes to head back home.

"What am I talkin' about? Obviously, H, you're done with me. We haven't fucked in damn near a month, and we haven't slept in the same bed in nearly three weeks," Jack snapped as more tears rolled down his face.

Henry took a seat and shook his head. "No, Jackie, it's not me done with you, it's you _cheatin_ ' on me. I won't abide bein' second choice. Anna's your cousin, so I'll move into a dorm in the fall. Can I leave my shit here for the summer?"

Jack sunk to his knees and bent over, resting his forehead on the floor. "It only happened once, Henry. I just had to know."

Henry knew he wanted to scream, cry, and throw a good-old-fashioned fit, but he had to know one thing. "Had to know what? What did you question about my love for you that you had to test it?"

"I had to be sure I was makin' the best choice for _me_. I had to know if, in ten years, would I look at my life, would I have wished I'd taken a different path?" Jack responded quietly as he turned to sit on the floor, staring at Henry.

Henry chuckled. "Don't worry, darl, I'll make the choice real easy for ya."

He rose from the chair and packed up his things. He called Anna on his way back to Virginia and asked her if she minded if he left his things at the apartment until later in the summer. He'd find somewhere else to live in the fall…if he even stayed at UVA. Everything he'd ever thought was solid in his life was now a question mark. He had no sense of balance, and he wasn't sure how to get it back.

Henry was certain he'd only love Jack Hotchner for the rest of his life, but he'd have to move on. He was young. He'd survive. He was, after all, a LaMontagne.

…

 _E/N: I hope to hear from you. Thanks for reading._


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: I'm sorry I'm late. This story doesn't get a lot of notice, but for the few of you who are reading it and supporting it, thank you. I don't own Criminal Minds, and I don't infringe._

…

 **Chapter 5.**

The summer had been for shit. When Jack got home from school for the summer, he found out from his pop that Henry was going to Louisiana to spend it with his father's younger brother, Hank. He was the man after whom Henry was named, and from what Jack had heard over the years, JJ didn't like him. "He was a partying fool," she'd told Aaron once when Hank had visited them in Virginia. He was a bartender from what Jack remembered, and the thought of Henry hanging out in a bar in New Orleans made him sick to his stomach.

It was time to go back to school, and Jack was hoping if he made the first move, he and Henry could work things out before school started. He drove over to Will and JJ's house and hopped out, seeing Henry's Escape on the driveway beside a U-Haul. That was troublesome.

He ambled up to the porch to hear his Aunt JJ yelling. " _THIS IS RIDICULOUS! YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS GOING TO TULANE!"_

That was news to Jack. His dad, Aaron, had told him something was up with Henry and school, but Jack had no idea what it was. His pop had been unusually quiet about things, and he was hesitant to ask anyone else in the family what was happening.

" _HEY! I WENT THERE FOR COLLEGE. IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME, JJ,"_ Will yelled in response.

" _WHOA! BOTH OF YOU CALM DOWN,"_ he heard Henry yell. Obviously, it wasn't the time to interrupt, so he climbed back into his old Tahoe and drove home. He'd try to discuss it with his fathers again, but he wasn't holding out a lot of hope.

The BAU was a tight-knit group of people. They were a family, and every one of them thought of their children as just that…children. He knew JJ wasn't ready for Henry to grow up, and he was pretty sure his dad, Aaron, wasn't ready for Jack to be honest with him. Jack, however, was ready to be forthcoming with his parents, so he drove home, prepared to be honest for maybe the first time in his adult life.

"Yo! Anybody home?" he called, seeing his dad's Escalade in the garage next to his pop's XC60.

He heard scrambling upstairs, so he went to the kitchen to allow the two of them time to get dressed. He knew they'd adjusted well to having the house to themselves, and he didn't hold it against them. He wanted the same for himself, but he was losing his shot. He was losing Henry.

He heard footsteps on the stairs and turned to see his dad walk into the kitchen. He was wearing an old t-shirt with the CalTech insignia on the front. He knew it was his pops t-shirt, and he really thought it was cute that they loved each other so much. He couldn't hold the tears.

As he stood sobbing, he felt his dad's arms around his shoulders, holding him as tightly as he could be held. "Buddy, what's wrong?" Aaron whispered.

He heard more footsteps on the stairs, but they stopped at the bottom and went back up. He knew it was Spencer's way of giving his blessing. It was time.

"Talk to me, Jack," his dad implored.

Jack pulled away and dried his eyes with the back of his hands. "Dad, I have something to tell you that might upset you, but please hear me out before you get really pissed, okay?"

He saw Aaron nod his head, so he pointed to a chair at the table. "Something to drink?" Jack asked as he walked to the fridge.

"Beer for me, and if you want one, go ahead. You're not going anywhere. Tell me what the hell is going on, Jack. Spencer's been as nervous as a whore in church every time it comes up about you and school. Please, tell me what's going on," Aaron pleaded.

Jack took a deep breath. "Over the years, I've heard you and Pops talk about family shit. Your mom was a drunk. Your dad was a drunk and a mean bastard. He used to hit you and after you went to boarding school, he took it up with Uncle Sean. When he died, you didn't make a big deal out of the funeral.

"After you came out to Uncle Sean, he didn't come visit us anymore, and I know you and Pop went to New York to try to make amends or something, but he wouldn't listen. Did he turn his back on us because you were gay?" Jack asked.

He saw his father take a deep breath and slowly release it. He knew his dad was trying to get control because he wasn't sure what to say, but Deputy Director Hotchner would make an appearance. "You know I met your mom in high school, and you know I loved her. We broke up and I did some experimenting in college, but I decided your mother was the person I was going to spend the rest of my life with. When we finally got you, we'd already made a mess of our lives, but we loved you so much, Jack. She loved you with all her heart. She died protecting you, son.

"Spencer and I tried to raise you the best we could, Jack. We love you more than anything in the world, and there is nothing…I mean, nothing…you could do that would piss me off or make me love you any less. Please, tell me what's wrong?"

Jack took a deep breath. "I'm in love, Dad. I'm in love for the first and last time in my life. I know you won't believe me, but I don't care. I have loved this person since I can remember. Without…well, if I lose that love, I don't know what I'm ever gonna do."

Jack laid his head down on the table and tried like hell to get his shit together. He was pretty sure his father wouldn't abandon him, and he knew his pop loved him regardless of anything he'd ever done or would ever do.

He looked up when he heard a bottle hit the table next to his head. He picked up the Bud Light and took a gulp. He knew his dad was worried if he was giving him a beer.

He finally hauled up his balls and looked his father in the eye. He owed his dad that much respect. "I'm in love with Henry, Dad. I made a terrible mistake by fu…sleeping with a girl, okay? It's my fault things fell apart, but I can't live without him."

His dad sat down next to him and pulled the stool close, wrapping his arm around Jack's shoulders. "I had a feeling, Jack. You should have told me. I could have helped you, son. I would have been there for you. I walked the road alone, but you don't have to, Buddy. I love you…hell, Spence and I… _Spencer!_ "

Jack heard his pop on the stairs, and he laughed a little as he dried his eyes. When he felt another arm around his shoulder and a kiss to the back of his head, he broke down again.

"I haven't looked it up, but I can research the statistics regarding reconciliation amongst couples who've been together for more than five years. You and Henry are hitting a rough patch, Jack. Every couple has problems. Aaron's and my relationship hasn't been all roses and champagne, son. My best suggestion is for you to sit back and allow Henry to grow up a little.

"You love him, I know, but if he's upset with you regarding your infidelity, it's going to take time for him to come to terms with it," Spencer explained.

Jack laughed. "So, you _were_ listening? Why didn't you tell Dad about me and Henry?"

He saw his dad smile and when he looked at his pop, he knew the truth. "You _did_ tell him about us, didn't you?"

"The first lesson you need to learn when you love someone is that you don't keep secrets. I told your father about my suspicions years ago, and we agreed to wait things out. When I was sure about you and Henry, I told your father because I wanted him to have time to adjust. For the record, Will knows about it too, but I didn't tell him. He figured it out on his own because he's a great cop, Jack. Just so you know, he loves Henry just the same. He doesn't care that his blond-haired, blue-eyed boy is gay. He just wants him to be happy, just like your dad and I feel about you.

"Aunt JJ, well, she'll need a little TLC, but she'll get there. We all love you boys, and we only want you to be happy," Spencer told him.

Jack raised his head again and took a deep breath. "How do I get him back?"

He saw Spencer look at Aaron, and he knew he wasn't going to like the answer. "Jack, you're going to have to give Henry some time. He's enrolled at Tulane, and your Aunt JJ isn't happy. Whatever happened between you, he wants nothing to do with you right now, but that doesn't mean forever. Just wait it out," Aaron told him.

That was easy for him to say. He was living with the love of his life. His heart wasn't breaking into pieces. That was Jack.

…

 _E/N: I know…I'm still crying. I swear, it gets better. Don't bug out on me! Thank you to those who are reading. I appreciate you very much. ML_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Hey y'all! Happy Friday, and to my friends on the East Coast of the US, get the life boats ready! I'm praying for all of us. Thanks to all of you for reading and thank you for your reviews. I think you'll all be happier at the end of this one than the last. I didn't mark it as such, but this chapter takes a three year leap into the future. I don't own CM. If I did, I'd have all of 'em paired up and doing illicit things around the office : )._

…

 **Chapter 6.**

Henry was walking across the campus of Tulane University with a big grin on his face because he'd been having the time of his life and it was very soon to be coming to an end. He'd enjoyed the company of boys and girls alike, and he was sorry the real world was encroaching.

 _His first semester at Tulane had taken a real toll on him because he was trying to get over the hurt he'd been through at the hands of Jack Hotchner. The heartbreak was debilitating at first, but for the sake of his heart and his grades, Henry put it in a box and locked it up deep inside. Knowing someone since birth wasn't easy to get over, especially if one fell in love with them and knew they'd still have to see them at family functions._

 _One day in the second semester of his sophomore year, he was walking across campus and looked around, almost like it was the first time. He observed all of his fellow classmates having a great time while he sat around like an aching bump on a log. It was then he knew he had to make the most of the time because it would pass quickly, so he simply let go and embraced the opportunities in front of him._

 _From there forward he started having a lot of fun, even if every date wasn't a love connection. Love hadn't been kind to him, so he didn't go looking for it or anything resembling it. He did, however, embrace 'like' and he'd enjoyed meeting and liking a lot of people with whom he was having a lot of sex. Hell, he 'liked' them all._

As his last mistake walked up to him, he took a deep breath. "Hey, Bitsy. What can I do for you, darl?"

The slap across the face wasn't welcome, nor was it really a surprise. "You fuckin' prick. You fucked my roommate, and you showed up at our apartment to fuck her again. When I answered the door and you figured out she wasn't there, you decided I was a good consolation prize? You're a fucking asshole, Henry," she complained.

He rubbed his hand over his stubbled cheek, still feeling the sting from her hand. He knew he deserved it because he was a prick, but not without reason. The girls and boys he'd been with in his years at Tulane had come easily, and none of them had rejected his advances. Hell, most of them begged _him,_ and he wasn't one to turn down an ass or a pussy. Word had gotten around about him that he never went back for a second bite at the apple, so he justified his behavior by deciding they all went into it with their eyes wide open.

"I'm sorry, baby girl, if I broke your heart, but you were just a more-than-willing-pussy, and from what I remember, it wasn't that tight. I'm sure some unsuspectin' moron will believe you're a virgin," Henry told her.

When she raised her hand to hit him again, another hand came out of nowhere to block the slap. He looked up to see Jack Hotchner standing next to him, and he was surprised.

Jack turned to look at him and smiled. "Really? She's so bitter. I'd have thought a hook-up with a happy disposition would be more your style since you give off the freaky 'southern laidback gentleman' vibe to all your prey."

Henry couldn't help the laugh. "Yeah, _chére_ , I guess I don't leave the ladies wantin' me as much as you do when you fuck a girl. So, how's the straight life treatin' ya? You're straight I'm guessin', Jackie, right?"

When Jack Hotchner pulled him into his arms and kissed him in the middle of the campus, he remembered every time the two of them had been together. He remembered the fervent glances and tender touches with stolen kisses in the beginning, and he remembered working up to making love to Jack. He also remembered he'd never had the opportunity for Jack to make love to him before Jack fucked up everything. In his heart he knew if anyone was ever going to fuck him, it was going to be Jack but that dried up when he cheated.

Henry pulled away and smiled. "Well, well. How you doin? You graduated, right? Sorry I couldn't be there but I had my own shit to take care of here. I'm taking an internship down here for the summer at a law firm. Turns out I might end up bein' a lawyer. How 'bout you, Jackie?"

Henry knew their parents knew all about both of their career aspirations, but they were all kind enough over the years not to discuss it in front of the other. JJ and Will even went so far as to tell him when Jack would be around for the holidays so they didn't have to run into each other after Henry confessed everything to his mother regarding his relationship with Jack. She'd threatened to hurt the boy, but Henry told her he'd been hurt enough for everyone and to chalk it up to lessons learned as a child grows into a man. Surprisingly, she didn't pigeon-hole him into a strict identity, which he truly appreciated because he wasn't sure what to call himself any longer.

Henry saw Jack take a deep breath before he answered. "I'm going to the Academy. Seems I'm gonna follow my dads and your mom to the Bureau, Henry. Why'd you just let me go? I made a fucking mistake, okay? I needed to be sure I was on the right path at the time. Now, I'm sorry for it, but you didn't stick around to listen to me. You didn't offer me the opportunity…"

Before Jack could continue, Henry laughed and held up a hand. "Oh, Jackson, I know what you were tryin' to do, son. You were tryin' to make yourself believe you were straight. You didn't wanna believe you liked dick as much as me…as much as your daddies. You were gonna live the straight life with a wife and 2.5 kids. Well, good luck with that shit, my friend. It ain't for everyone but if you can pull it off, then I'll be there to give away the groom," Henry responded, not hiding the bitterness in his voice. He couldn't help himself. His heart was broken into very small pieces, and he was still trying to figure out how to glue them all back together.

"No, Henry. I'm not trying to fool myself any longer. I'm sorry about that girl, because it was a huge mistake. I was stupid enough to think if I could have sex with a girl, then maybe there was hope for me to be straight and live the kind of life I'm sure would be much easier than the life my dad and pop lived, but with her, I just couldn't get it up. She did nothing for me, baby boy.

"I didn't fuck her, okay? I fingered her and pretended I came in my pants and then we fell asleep together for a while. I played it off it was my first time…well, with a girl I guess it was...and I wasn't ready for anything more. We both know my first time was with you, and there's been nobody else since, okay? That girl had no idea I was gay because I didn't tell her, but I'm done hidin'. I know I hurt ya and I'm damn sorry, but I'm sure about myself now. How 'bout you? Based on what I saw with that psycho who slapped the piss outta ya, seems you're ridin' the fence. Not so sure about which side of the line you comin' down on?"

As Henry took in the sight of Jack Hotchner, he wasn't surprised the boy he'd loved had grown into a very handsome man. Jack always had short hair, but his facial features had sharpened, and as much as Henry wanted to deny it, he was definitely the image of his dad, Aaron, only with lighter hair. He still made Henry's heart skip a beat and had him questioning what he was doing in Louisiana and why was he staying? That was a very good question. He didn't particularly love it there, but it seemed easier than going back to Virginia. As he looked into Jack's eyes, he wasn't so sure it had ever been worth it.

Henry giggled, just as he always had in Jack's presence. Jack shook his head and stated, "I came down here to see you, _chére_. We have a lot of unfinished business. I'm gonna be twenty-two, and you're gonna be twenty. How many more years you wanna play around? I told ya once I'll give ya time to figure out your shit. I meant it. I got the rest of my life to wait for you, Henry. It's up to you, baby boy."

Henry took a deep breath. "Graduation is next week. Can you come back? Will they let you take the time away from the Academy? Are you in the Police Academy or the Bureau Academy?"

Jack wrapped his arms around Henry's waist. "Bureau. They came callin' before I graduated with my Master's in December. After you left UVA, I stepped up my studies and graduated with a double major, Information Technology Management and Cyber Forensics. I got my Master's at George Washington in Cybersecurity. I'm going into the Cyber Crimes unit as a computer scientist downtown in DC. I didn't want to work in Quantico. With the BAU there? I'd never get any rest."

They both laughed as Henry led Jack to his apartment near campus. The two of them had dinner and Jack spent the night. They didn't make love, but that was okay. They discussed where things went wrong for them and reached the conclusion they'd put too much pressure on themselves at young ages. They'd decided to give it another try, but not to push things until they were both ready for a formal commitment. They also got a little reacquainted with each other physically, both discovering how much they'd missed the other.

When Jack was leaving on Sunday, they stood together at the airport where Henry was dropping him off. "Momma and Daddy are drivin' down to help me pack up my stuff for them to take back to Virginia. I know you can't be gone that long, so you let me know your flight schedule so I can pick ya up," Henry told the man he loved as he placed the small duffel on the sidewalk next to Jack.

"I'll probably be able to fly down on Friday evening. I'll get a cab, Henry. Why are Aunt Jayje and Uncle Will takin' your stuff back to Virginia? Don't you have an internship for the summer? I was planning to try to transfer to the field office down here as soon as I graduate the Academy. I want to be with you as much as possible, but I don't want to push you, Baby," Jack told him as he pulled Henry closer and kissed his jaw.

They heard a few whistles and catcalls but nothing mean, so they only laughed. "Call me when ya get home tonight. I need to look into a few things, okay? I wanna be with you too, Jackie. Let me work some things out, okay?"

Jack nodded and they kissed good-bye. Henry stood at the curb until he couldn't see Jack any longer, and then he got into his SUV and drove to his uncle's bar in the French Quarter. He'd worked as bar-back there as soon as he turned eighteen, and he'd met a lot of great people, including Quinton Peabody of Peabody & Lutz, a local law firm where Henry was supposed to intern over the summer and then take a job while he went to law school at Tulane. In his heart, he knew he didn't want to be in Louisiana any longer. He needed to be home with his family…and the love of his life.

…

"You sure, Rooster? Quint is a great guy and he'll give you time off so you can decide things for certain. He'll hold your spot open, but I'm sure you already know that, _mon ami,"_ his uncle responded after Henry explained his position. Henry knew his father would counsel him to come home, but his Uncle Hank would be honest with him.

 _When Henry started spending more time with his Uncle Hank, the man had started calling him Hen. Henry told him, "I ain't no chicken, Uncle Hank." The older man had laughed and responded, "No, you ain't no chick, dude. You're a cocky thing, just like a rooster, so that's what I'm gonna call ya."_

"Yes sir, I know but I'm missin' family. Don't take it the wrong way, Uncle Hank. Ya know I love ya, but I got me somethin' back in Virginia I been missin' a lot, and I really think this time we might do it right. Sometimes, a man's gotta follow his heart, right?" Henry asked.

Hank laughed. "So, what changed, nephew _?_ Last you and me talked, you were pluggin' everything that moved. You' leavin' your ol' Uncle Hank in the dark? What's goin' on?"

Henry knew his uncle was definitely a player, but he knew the man was totally straight. Henry had alluded to the fact he didn't exactly classify himself as gay or straight, and his uncle seemed okay with it. He'd picked up a few guys and girls at the bar during his three years at Tulane, which is why he hadn't actually graduated early. He'd taken his time to have fun and sow his oats, as his uncle had been in favor. Now that he'd figured his shit out, he wasn't sure his uncle was ready to hear Henry had firmly settled into the gay life. It was time to man up and tell the truth.

"You know when I transferred and came down here for Tulane I was nursin' a broken heart. I had someone I loved cheat on me, and I needed the space. Over this weekend, he came here to apologize and asked me to take him back. It's my intention to do just that, Uncle Hank," he explained.

His uncle's laugh was a surprise, but the hop-over-the-bar and big hug wasn't. "So, Jack Hotchner finally came to his senses? Well, I'm glad to hear it, Rooster. If I was you, I'd call Quint tomorrow and set up an appointment. You don't have to tell him your life story, but for the benefit of your future, I wouldn't go burnin' no bridges if I was you, son.

"Now, you don't have any more classes so let's have us a little goin' away party. What time do I need to be at your place on Sunday to load ya up? Your daddy already called me. I know you're momma ain't gonna be happy to see me, but we're all family. It'll work out," Hank told him as he poured them each a drink.

Hank pushed the Captain and Coke in front of him but before Henry picked it up, he took his uncle's hand. "Do not, I repeat, _do not_ let me get drunk and go home with anybody, okay? This shit is like voodoo punch to me, and I can't count the number of times I woke up with a stranger because of you, Uncle Hank. I have too damn much to lose now for it to happen again."

When Hank nodded in agreement, Henry held up his glass to toast. "Thank ya for showin' me what it's like to get the most outta college life. When I get home and go to law school, I think I'll be at the top of my class because I can't imagine anything I'd need to experience more than goin' home to my love every night because I did it all in college. When we finally get around to the nuptials, you'll come, right?"

Hank hopped up on the bar after grabbing a bullhorn, which wasn't a surprise. "Y'all, quiet for a minute. I'm givin' one round on the house to toast my nephew, Rooster. He's leavin' us here in the Quarter and goin' back to Virginia to get married. To Rooster," Hank shouted. Everyone toasted as the waitresses scrambled to take orders. Henry hopped behind the bar to help out, and the rest of the night was a good time.

He remembered talking to Jack at some point, and he remembered the laugh when he explained the circumstances leading to his drunkenness. They hung up after reminding each other how much they were loved, and Henry passed out on the couch in his uncle's office. He was more than ready to go home…to Jack.

…

 _E/N: Better, right? Thank you for sticking with me. We're winding down, unfortunately. One more regular and then the epilogue. Love to all of you! ML_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Thank you for reading. I loved hearing from a few of you. Let's get to it. I don't own CM, and I don't infringe._

…

Chapter 7.

Jack Hotchner walked into the townhouse in Georgetown where he lived. He'd had a long day and all he wanted was grab a beer, take a shower, and have a seat on the back deck to think about anything other than the job.

He grabbed a beer and carried it upstairs to do just as planned when he heard noises in the master bedroom where there shouldn't have been noises.

He didn't have a Bureau-issued hand gun because his job didn't require him to carry. It didn't require him to travel; it wasn't high profile; and he wasn't in danger of a personal attack, as far as he knew, but there was noise nonetheless.

He opened the bedroom door and heard the most god-awful sound he'd ever heard in his life. It was singing, and it was a voice he knew too well, but still loved. It was a welcomed sound. " _Come on somebody, why don'tcha run? Ol' Red's itchin' to have a little fun. Get my lantern, get my gun…"_

Jack walked into the room and pulled back the curtain, seeing the man he loved with shampoo in his hair. "Please, my god, the neighbor's Yorkie is howlin', Baby," he teased.

He watched Henry step under the spray to rinse his hair. After it was shampoo-free, he wiped away the water from his face and smiled at Jack. "Hello, _chére._ I thought you were workin' late," he stated as he continued to rinse his body.

Jack began removing his clothes because he damn well wanted to shower with his lover. "I thought you were stranded in Georgia for the weekend. Oil spills on the Savannah River don't happen every day, and with you bein' an environmental lawyer, I was sure you were gonna be down there kickin' ass until it was all cleaned up," Jack joked as he hopped inside with his love.

"The EPA doesn't pay for me to be away from home any more than necessary, sugar. How's your investigation goin'?" Henry asked.

It was ten years after the confrontation Jack Hotchner and Henry LaMontagne had when they were living together in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was ten years since Jack had cheated on Henry and Henry had transferred to New Orleans to get away from Jack. It was time for Jack to answer that question he'd posed to Henry ten-years prior: _"I had to know if, in ten years, would I look at my life and wish I'd taken a different path."_

Jack was thirty-one, and Henry was twenty-nine. They both worked their respective jobs, rising up through the ranks with great success. After Henry moved back from New Orleans, they'd taken things slowly, and when it was right, they'd settled down together.

The two of them loved each other powerfully, and they still had the support of family. Unfortunately, there had been a few changes to that family over the years.

Uncle Dave had passed away five years prior. He and Aunt Emily had gone to bed one night after a birthday party for Nicky Morgan, and he didn't wake the next morning. He had a heart condition he and Emily were keeping quiet, and that night, he went to sleep and didn't wake.

They mourned the loss, but Emily had said he'd died in his sleep after having a good cigar, a good meal, and some very good wine. It was the way he'd have wanted to go, and while they missed him, they knew they were all luckier for having had him in their lives.

Jack's Aunt Jess and her wife, Chelsea, had divorced around the time Anna graduated from college. Jess had moved to Maryland, and Chelsea had moved to South Carolina where she had family. Anna stayed with Jess in Maryland for a while, but eventually moved to Manhattan for a job as a finance manager for a large bank.

As far as Jack and Henry knew, neither woman had remarried. They hadn't told anyone what broke them up, only that they thought it best. Chelsea never came around, but Jess did.

Henry's little sister, Claire, had joined the military, much to everyone's surprise. She was stationed at Fort Bliss in Texas, and she came home when she could. She was Special Forces, and when she was home, Jack would talk her into going to the gym to spar. She kicked his ass every time, and the whole family teased him about it.

Elise Prentiss-Rossi was a member of the National Symphony Orchestra. She played piano, harp, and cello. The orchestra was currently on tour in Russia, but she text pictures of her travels for the whole family.

Frannie Morgan was the spitting image of her mother with the exception she had a bit more of a tan, and her hair was a light brown. She was in college to get a PhD in education because she wanted to be a molder of young minds, and the family loved her for it.

None of the second generation of the BAU family had children, and none of them had married, but Jack Hotchner wanted to change the stat, and as the oldest member, he was set to raise the bar.

"My dads are gonna want to have us over sometime over the weekend, you know," he whispered as he kissed his way up Henry's jaw to the spot behind his ear that drove the younger blonde insane.

"God, I don't care, just not tonight. I was in Savannah for two weeks, baby. I need to feel you next to me. I want to feel you inside me," Henry told him as he ran his fingers through Jack's short hair.

Jack smiled. It was finally the opening he'd been hoping for. "I love you, Henry. I want to make love to you, but I want to wait," he began.

He saw Henry's face show surprise, which was what he wanted. "Let's get out. We need to talk, baby boy."

They did as Jack requested, and after they dressed in shorts and t-shirts, they went downstairs. Jack grabbed them each a beer and led Henry out to the deck where they'd hosted cookouts for friends and family. They'd had birthdays and anniversaries with the rest of the family at various others of their homes, but they were never prouder than when they had their first party at their place in Georgetown…it was Aaron and Spencer's twentieth wedding anniversary, and they'd had a fine party.

Jack sat at the table and lit the citronella candle they kept outside. "So, Henry, here we are ten years after I made the worst fucking mistake of my life. We've gone through a lot of shit in our time together…you could say sickness and health. Remember when you got food poisoning from those food trucks when you were in law school?"

Henry laughed uneasily. "I thought I was gonna fuckin' die. I was shittin' and pukin' stuff I had as a child, but you stupidly stayed with me at that shitty apartment I had near Foggy Bottom. I was never so humiliated, or in love, in my life, and I haven't eaten another fish taco since that day. I doubt I ever will unless you make 'em."

Jack laughed. He remembered being grossed out, but Henry was so damn sick and refused to allow him to call JJ or Will, so Jack stayed and took care of him. He actually took three days off work and got his ass chewed out when he returned, but it was worth it.

"Remember when I decided I was gonna cook us paella? I thought I had it covered," Jack joked as he remembered the weekend his dads had gone out to the Blue Ridge to a little cabin they liked to go to get away. He had the house to himself and he'd invited Henry over to spend the night. They got carried away with the make-out session in the lounger by the pool, and when the smoke alarms went off, they found the rice had burned beyond recognition.

"Yeah, you didn't use enough liquid, _chére._ I told you, it had potential. We can try again if you want. Now, tell me why you don't wanna pop my cherry. We been together on-and-off for a long time, Jackie. If you just wanna bottom, that's fine, but some of those beautiful noises I bring outta ya make me wonder what in hell I'm missin'," Henry explained.

"'Nother beer?" Jack asked as he finished his. He went into the house without waiting for an answer and grabbed two beers before he went to the small office they shared. He opened the wall safe where they had Spencer Reid's old S&W 65 and ammo. When Spencer took his sabbatical to teach and write, he never went back, and he gave Jack his old side arm.

Aaron was still at the Bureau as the Deputy Director, but he was getting ready to retire, as was the Director. According to his father, they'd agreed it was time for new blood, and Jack Hotchner wasn't anywhere near ready for to take up the mantle, but he was making his own way at the Bureau, and he knew his parents were proud of him.

He'd received his credentials as a senior special agent, and he had his own team, but they rarely left the building. In his division, there wasn't any need because they used the dark net to find most of their predators. Occasionally, he'd call his Aunt Pen and ask her questions about old-school things because they'd run across something that surprised him, but it was rare.

He returned downstairs and took the two Sam Adams out with him after he placed the box in his pocket. "So, plans for the weekend since you're home? We should probably go see your folks as well," Jack offered as he sat down and took a drink of his beer, gathering courage.

Henry sighed heavily. "I was kinda hopin' we could just hunker down and make up for lost time, sugar."

"Well, I think after the news hits, they'll show up," Jack teased as he watched Henry.

"News? Are you finally gettin' promoted? It's overdue, baby," Henry told him.

Jack smiled and reached into his pocket, handing the small black velvet box to Henry. When the blonde opened it, he glanced up at Jack. "Nice. You a fence now?"

Of course, Henry would make a joke, but Jack wasn't going to be deterred. "Eh, I could, but I thought maybe we might use those rings and let me make an honest man outta ya," Jack offered.

Henry looked up with wide eyes. "Oh? You think I'm not an honest man, Jackie?"

"Henry _La-Mon-tagne,_ you are the most beautiful, honest, sexy man I've ever met. I want you to be with me for the rest of the days I walk on our good Lord's earth, and I'd like to be your husband through whatever time I have left. Will you please, _please_ , do me the honor of becoming my husband?" Jack asked with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face as he held Henry's hand while he was sunk down on one knee, just as his pop had done when he proposed to his dad.

Henry laughed. "I wondered who'd cave first. We are far too conventional, Jackie. Yeah, I'll marry ya, and when we gonna have a baby?" Henry teased.

"Well, maybe on the wedding night when I marry my virgin groom. We'll figure that shit out. Will ya?" Jack asked.

Henry looked at the rings and looked at Jack. "Yeah, I guess I will. What the fuck else was I gonna do, Jackie? I've loved you since I was a little boy. We've fucked it up about as much as we could, but it seems we've finally found our way," Henry told him.

"Yeah, and if anyone objects to you and me havin' a life together, baby boy, they don't know us too damn well," Jack told him.

After that, the two men retired to their bedroom and sealed their love with many kisses, licks, sucks, and one very healthy lovemaking session. Jack held to his word. He was going to have his virgin husband on their wedding night, but the love they shared between them was anything but new…it was long and strong.

…

 _E/N: This was the last regular chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Tuesday night I'll post the short epilogue. I've posted a Twilight Jasper/Edward slash story titled, "Finding Home." I know Twilight isn't as popular as it used to be, but I love the story. I hope you'll check it out. Thanks for reading. ML_

 _(P.S. The song Henry's singing in the shower is by Blake Shelton. I definitely don't own it or Blake, but I sure wouldn't mind...)_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Here we are! The Epilogue. These are always the hardest for me to write because it's saying good-bye, but I really try to give the readers a glimpse into their lives before we say good-bye for good. I hope I've done it justice. Thank you so much for reading and to those of you who reviewed…MWAH! I don't own Criminal Minds, but I do own the idea of this particular story._

…

Chapter 8. Epilogue

Jack was standing with his fathers, Spencer and Aaron, and Henry's parents, JJ and Will. They were all anxiously awaiting Henry's arrival. He'd been gone for three months, and his husband and family had missed him very much.

The wedding had been at the only place it could have been…in the back yard of the Rossi/Prentiss home where Henry's parents and Jack's parents had both married. There was no other choice.

" _Aaron, leave it alone. It's a bow tie and it's supposed to look that way, honey," Jack heard Spencer chastising his dad. Jack laughed as he fiddled with his own bow tie. The wedding was six-months after he'd proposed, and just a week after Aaron had retired from the Bureau. He knew his dad was antsy of late because he didn't have much going on, but he was sure it would even out. He knew his pop had made a list of things he and Aaron wanted to do once he'd finally retired, so he knew they were getting ready to go on a trip. He was happy for them._

 _Jack and Henry had stewed over who would go down the aisle first, and after a heated debate, Henry won. "You proposed, so I get to be waiting at the end of the aisle. Nobody's a bride here. I'll walk down first with my folks, and you walk down with yours after. Makes sense to me, chére," Henry reasoned. Jack laughed and agreed with him._

 _They both wore black tuxedos and had only simple red roses for boutonnieres. JJ had a wrist corsage, and there was a small swag of roses over the entrance to the gazebo in the back yard that Jack and Henry had painted for Emily before the wedding. Everything was beautiful._

 _The whole family, including Elise, Claire, Frannie and Nicky were in attendance with their significant others, and even Henry's Uncle Hank had traveled up from New Orleans, bringing enough liquor to choke a horse._

 _Both men teared up when they said their vows, promising to love each other and learn to compromise rather than being bullheaded which they each admitted to being. That brought a laugh from the guests._

" _Henry, take Jack's hand and repeat after me, with this ring, I take you as my husband," the minister, who was the same person who'd married Spencer and Aaron, requested._

 _Jack looked into Henry's eyes and his whole world seemed to settle into perfect balance. After the rings had been exchanged, the minister announced they were wedded, and Henry LaMontagne actually let out a yell and pumped his arm in the air before he enveloped Jack in his arms and dipped him before he kissed his lips._

 _They danced their first dance as husbands to an old Stevie Wonder song, "Overjoyed," and they cut the three layer cake JJ had insisted upon. As they were leaving that night to go to the Willard Hotel before leaving for a honeymoon in Greece for ten days, everyone cheered as they pummeled them with birdseed. The love from family was hard to resist, and they took it inside them to cherish it for the rest of their lives._

"There he is," JJ announced, pointing everyone in the direction of Henry and Jack's Aunt Jessica as they made their way to the security exit at Dulles International Airport.

"I'm so glad Aunt Jess was able to go over when I had to come home. I know he'd have had a fit when they pulled that shit about the fee, but he kept his cool because she and the lawyer we hired went ninja on the agent for the attempted extortion. Henry was so upset because they took…well, let's just thank god, Henry's firm was able to recommend someone over there to help us out," Jack responded.

Jack had gone over with Henry initially, but after the first month, he had to return to the States because of a case he was instrumental in solving. There had been a glitch, and when he called his Aunt Jess, she happily agreed to go to China to help Henry.

Everyone was waving at them as they made their way to the security exit, and Jess was snapping pictures with a huge smile on her face, but the picture Jack wanted was one of Henry. Henry holding their daughter in his arms. Mai-Lee Hotchner-LaMontagne. The family teased them about what a mouthful it would be for the eighteen-month old as she was growing up, but they didn't care. Henry said it sounded like a good, southern name.

Jack ran up to the exit through the crowd of extended family to wrap _his_ family in his arms, not hiding the tears of happiness that rolled down his face. He kissed Henry on the lips and looked at the sleeping girl in his arms. "How'd she do on the flight?" he whispered as he gently skimmed his index finger over the soft little face.

"God bless Aunt Jess. She didn't sleep at all the whole time. I fell off for a few hours, but our little beauty was up and at it. Jess walked her up and down the aisles and tired her out. She made a lot of friends on the flight," Henry told him as he handed off the baby to her other father.

An older lady stopped and smiled at Henry. "So this is her other Daddy?" she asked.

"Oh, yes, Mrs. Stern. This is my husband, Jack. Babe, this is Mrs. Grace Stern. She was visiting her grandchildren in Germany where her son and his family are stationed. They're Air Force. She sat across the aisle from me and she loaned me a music box bracelet that fascinated Mai. Looks like our baby girl has an eye for jewelry," Henry joked.

"Thank you, Mrs. Stern. I hated I couldn't stay with Henry, but I had…" Jack began, feeling the guilt.

"Oh, your husband told me about your job with the FBI. I appreciate your service, Agent Hotchner. Now, I've exchanged information with Henry because I'd like to have the three of you to my house in DC for tea some Sunday. I miss my grandchildren, so having little Mai around would be like a salve to my heart," the woman told them.

They agreed they'd call after all of the excitement died down, and Jack led Henry over to where Jessica was already speaking with the family. JJ moved through the crowd and looked down at the baby. "Oh, she's going to be gorgeous. Please, can I hold her? I'm her only grandmother, after all," JJ reminded. Jack saw Aaron wince, and he knew the man still mourned the loss of Haley, Jack's mother.

He was sure occasions of the sort reminded Aaron that Jack's mother wasn't there to share the joy and happiness, and Jack knew his father felt guilty about it, but there was no need. "Yes, maybe, Momma J, but this little one has three granddads who will keep very close tabs on the people who come into her life. She's the safest little girl in the Northern Hemisphere," Jack teased as he handed Mai to JJ.

Everyone took a turn holding the sleeping child and then they moved back to Spencer and Aaron's house where Penelope and Derek were setting up a welcome party. It was a wonderful day in the family.

As the Hotchner-LaMontagne family would remember in years to come, after Mai-Lee came into the family, it seemed to solidify the permanence in their lives. Jack and Henry were very much in love with each other, but when they brought their daughter home, they knew it was forever. They'd look back at the pictures many times over the years and smile. They'd add to them with every new occasion, and at the end of their lives, they'd have documented proof of their happy lives…all told in snapshots. If anyone objects…they just need to look at the happy pictures of a life well-lived.

…

 _E/N: For the last time with this story, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Follow me…I still have stories up my sleeve! Kisses, ML_


End file.
